People making it happen:Bret Ball

Presented by SDG&E

Since joining SDG&E in 1985, Bret Ball has spent his career working on transmission lines, beginning as a lineman in the field and working his way up to now lead the transmission construction and maintenance department. Transmission lines are large power lines that bring electricity from generation sources such as power plants and solar projects to the region’s substations, where it is distributed to customers on smaller local lines. In addition to setting a high standard for safety, the most rewarding aspect of the job for Bret is being a problem solver. This focus was put to good use recently during a Caltrans project to widen a bridge across the 805 Freeway. Caltrans requested a nearby transmission line to be turned off during construction work. This would have left a substation and customers in Sorrento Valley at risk from a potential power outage. Instead of turning off the line, Bret came up with the idea of installing a temporary line to bypass the construction project and keep power flowing to the substation. This innovation enhanced reliability for local customers, including several large companies in the area, and gave Caltrans flexibility to continue their work on schedule. It also saved SDG&E $50,000 by eliminating the need to stage extra crews in the area. “I like to come up with solutions that work for everyone,” said Bret. This demonstrates SDG&E’s overall focus of encouraging employees to think outside the box and develop cost-saving solutions that are win-win for customers and the utility alike.